A pox on both their houses

I’m sure I’m not the only one in Australia who regards the current state of political discourse in this country with a growing sense of despair. Policy debate has been replaced by personal invective and spin while the national interest is left languishing in the background.

This parlous state of affairs has caused political maverick Barnaby Joyce to reflect that insults and name calling has become the default position in the parliament and that voters grow weary of it.

“Politicians throw little puerile insults because they think it’s so fascinating inside the building, but it just loses people - people just don’t get it,” Senator Joyce said in a doorstop interview outside the parliament yesterday.

“We’ve got to realise what the public are saying - the public are starting to put a pox on both houses and they’re starting to ask questions about ‘are we acting like adults?’. Out there, and I get it all the time that people are just saying, ‘We don’t get you people’.”

Barnaby Joyce has shown a capacity for rhetorical overreach on occasions but he remains one of the few public bar politicians in this country – a knockabout who is accessible to his broad constituency.

On the other side of politics, another loose cannon came forward to decry the current state of play in the parliament. Doug Cameron addressed the sense of foreboding that is looming on how the parliament might conduct itself next week when the lower house sits for the last time for 2012.

“I think we need to be a bit smarter in how we deal with these issues. We just can’t simply throw allegations around against individual MPs, whether it’s the Prime Minister or whether it’s Julie Bishop,” Senator Cameron said.

In other words, what matters inside the beltway is of little or no importance to the 21 million Australians who live outside it and watch news reports on the conduct of the parliament with mounting contempt. Unless voters have a fetish for personal abuse, they will have concluded that the current parliament has plumbed new lows in both political discourse and oratory in this country.

One might argue that this is a precondition of a hung parliament; a result of a state of prolonged psychological tension where a government might fall at any moment. Yet under the same circumstances back in 1941-43, some of Prime Minister’s Curtin’s finest moments in the parliament were recorded including his speech given to a hushed parliament while the Battle of the Coral Sea raged; a battle which carried the threat of Japanese invasion of Australia.

One might also argue that the deep morass in political discourse is a consequence of the 24 hour global news cycle but as Kevin Rudd said on the ABC’s Q & A program last night, there is something peculiarly Australian about this.

“The nature of the public political discourse in this country in which I include Malcolm (Turnbull) and myself and all of our colleagues, is such that you get strangled within 30 seconds of entering the public discussion on any point because you are then attacked for breaching unity for X,Y, Z or A, B or C,” the former prime minister said.

“This actually doesn’t happen in the United States. This doesn’t happen in the United Kingdom. It doesn’t really happen in Canada.

“It happens here in a plague of locusts-like dimensions so that it actually suffocates effective discussion.”

Back in September, Malcolm Turnbull told an audience at the University of Western Australia that Australian politicians suffered from a “deficit of trust” with the public.

“We can argue for hours which side and which politicians, which journalists indeed, have contributed most to it,” Mr Turnbull said.

“But it affects all of us and all of our institutions.”

And there’s the rub. Australians have always been cynical about politics and politicians but the current desultory state of political discourse is such that we are losing faith in our democratic institutions, described by Winston Churchill as “the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”

Question Time is a mosh pit with verbal shirtfronts and coat-hangers dispensed liberally interspersed with the oratorical equivalent of the ballad in the form of dreary Dorothy Dixers. For political junkies, it makes good theatre from time to time but has little else to recommend it.

“If you love your country, have an interest in politics or policy, and care deeply about our nation’s future, there is nothing more certain to arouse your fury and invite your contempt than listening to an entire House of Representatives Question Time,” Mr Turnbull said in that same speech.

“The politicians and parties that can demonstrate they can be trusted, that they will not insult the people with weasel words and spin, that they will not promise more than they can deliver, that they will not dishonestly misrepresent either their own or their opponents’ policies – those politicians and parties will, I submit to you, deserve and receive electoral success.”

No truer words have been spoken. The problem is that both sides are culturally addicted to spin and overblown rhetoric. It is impossible to make a choice when there is no choice available.

Your Comments

Well, Jack, back in the 1970s, the people of Diamond Valley had three chances to vote me in and decided not to, so who am I to complain about the current state of politics? If people really wanted to do something about the political situation, they would join the party of their choice in their hundreds of thousands and change the pre-selections. To those who point out the union role in ALP pre-selections, I add that everyone should be in a union and everyone should take an interest in electing their union leaders.

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (01:23pm)

I might have been one of them, CC. Sorry.

DwightTue 20 Nov 12 (01:19pm)

I agree with you Jack, but I think you’re preaching a bit to the choir here. Your brethren (and sistren) in the gallery cover the stoushes as if they _are_ the main game, and not the sideshow.

It is said that in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is King, yet here we have the sporting metaphor of politics carried to its absurd conclusion: whatever my party does is OK, it’s the other guys you have to watch out for. I think Canberra has become the kingdom of the one-eyed. We, on the outside are left to consider building a large fence around it.

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (01:25pm)

I might be preaching to the choir to a degree, Dwight. The comments made by Rudd and Turnbull on Q&A;last night drew bipartisan endorsement. There’s a big call for a shake up to our political system.

Medium FriesTue 20 Nov 12 (01:34pm)

Where’s the reprise of “"hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman”, or similar? Until then, I will contend we haven’t heard anything worthy of a true republican and will turn back to Gilray for a true estimate of our over-weaning & gutless reps. The two gilded geldings on display last night are not long for the caper. Barnaby Joyce may be equally mealy-mouthed next week, but let’s see if he’s game to say what he believes about non-traditional marriage, and Turnbull.

The Firefighter of BondiTue 20 Nov 12 (01:57pm)

Being the political animals that they are, the current group of “frontline” politcians seem to be continually held back on what they truly want to say by backroom boys that call the shots. Which ever way you look at it though, it’s Labor that holds the prize for becoming beholden to a group mentality and the consequences of this. The current “policy” of Labor to continually denigrate at every opportunity Abbott personally, is seen by Labor as their only hope of having any chance in the next election. The cynic in me sees part of the somewhat hasty decision to call the Royal Commission into the Catholic Church (and others) by Gillard as an attempt to draw a connection between the Catholic Curch and it’s reluctance to report paedophile priests,Cardinal Pell and Tony Abbott, however tenuous it may be. But as can be seen by the punters out there witnessing Labor both federally and state wise, we have in power a Federal government that has wasted a good deal of money and made the asylum seeker issue an unmitigated disaster. It has allegedly corrupt ex-ministers and their cronies in NSW now in the biggest corruption case since the Rum Rebellion, a major federal union and it’s officials (many being ex-Labor Party officials) up to their armpits in shonky deals and corrupt practices under police investigation and a Treasurer who consistently states that a surplus is still possible. Add onto this the unfunded Gonski education review, the unfunded disability insurance scheme, the unfunded dental scheme and the conclusion that most rational people is that this government has no idea and has got to go. The alternative has the problem of a leader that (up to now) has not articulated his vision or plan for Australia other than to criticise his opponents. It appears that only the “outer” ones such as Joyce and Cameron can see the growing contempt the public have for small minded and visionless politicians and their parties.

TracyTue 20 Nov 12 (01:57pm)

Arthur Calwell to Arthur Fadden in the House of Reps “I well recall the time when, for forty days and forty nights, you held the destiny of Australia in the hollow of your head” think a hollow head goes without saying these days.

carbon workerTue 20 Nov 12 (02:00pm)

Losers always want the rules they lose by changed or relaxed… Until they start winning.

If only we had a regime composed of, at worst, hypocrites, as opposed to people with documented misbehaviour that could be construed as antithetical to legality…

Mr Dry TeatTue 20 Nov 12 (02:11pm)

The nub is both Partys are dominated by vested interests. Neither Party can propound a broader electoral vision because of it. Minor Party’s are backed into ‘deals’ which are the antithesis of what they are meant to represent. The ALP particularly defy democracy by not permitting Members to vote outside the bloc without being disendorsed and sent to the sin bin. At least the Liberals allow Members to vote as their electorates instruct. If we aren’t to have a ‘root and branch’ overhaul of the current system, some means needs to be found to compel Members to vote as their electorates wish. Citizens Initiated Referenda would be a start, as, currently, at the conclusion of an election, the public have had all the say they will be permitted for the next three years. The ALP realising we are a democracy and elected members are our representatives, not theirs would is also overdue. The continuous news cycle works against us too, as far too many mouths are having far too much to say, and have too much time to say it, to fill in otherwise colourless news bulletins. Limiting individual Members’ broadcast time, would not allow them the current largesse to constantly bag their opponents; they would have to be concise and quick to get their message out. Gillard’s opener for any sentence whenever asked any question is ‘Mr Abbott’, which she deliberately mispronounces to make it a comic slur. I’m not laughing, Julia, and most people I know aren’t either. They’re tired of it. Doug Cameron is the last person I would have thought might enter into this debate. His opening sentence at the Labor conference was a derogatory dig at Abbott’s ears, and his resemblance to a wingnut. I didn’t hear anyone berate him for slinging off at someone’s genetic inheritance; no-one left the room. I learned not to do that when I was in kindy. No-one slings off about his Irish accent, simply because, it’s rude. Ah ... that’s the word I was searching for ... rude. Our parliamentarians are just plain, bloody rude. Maybe Barnaby is exempt from that; I’ve never heard him being rude to anyone.

nossyTue 20 Nov 12 (02:16pm)

Your opening paragraph sums it all up very well Jack. How on earth did it all come to this where Question Time for instance is no longer worth watching, IMHO, because of the sledging, where Pollies in general are either held in contempt ( bar a few) or just ignored? The answer my friend “is blowin in the wind”! The ones now held up as “the best” Turnbull and Rudd have had their day and botched it bigtime. Maybe the next election will “flush” the system clean Jack?

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (02:41pm)

I wouldn’t bet on it, Nossy.

ThunderoadTue 20 Nov 12 (02:27pm)

The Firefighter of Bondi
Tue 20 Nov 12 (01:57pm)

All those things you justifiably criticize Labor for I can find a instance or behavior from the Liberals which deserves the same condemnation.

We are very poorly served by both sides of the House at the moment and I think that’s ultimately the point Jack was making.

MiltonTue 20 Nov 12 (02:35pm)

These are perhaps the most astute words Rudd has ever uttered. From politicians, the media and on the streets and in the pubs we lean towards knee-jerk reactions, black/white polarisation, emotive and abusive responses and little empathy or appreciation for subtle nuance or compromise.
I have no answers though.

“The nature of the public political discourse in this country in which I include Malcolm (Turnbull) and myself and all of our colleagues, is such that you get strangled within 30 seconds of entering the public discussion on any point because you are then attacked for breaching unity for X,Y, Z or A, B or C,” the former prime minister said.
“This actually doesn’t happen in the United States. This doesn’t happen in the United Kingdom. It doesn’t really happen in Canada.
“It happens here in a plague of locusts-like dimensions so that it actually suffocates effective discussion.”

MiltonTue 20 Nov 12 (02:37pm)

On second thought, an answer may be leadership and example.

AnnieTue 20 Nov 12 (02:43pm)

And its going to get worse JTI, as the election year beckons. The muckrakers will almost be back to the two candidates Kindergarten years by now, looking, looking, looking, for anything, anything. Abbott supposed to have punched a wall, which sent the ABC into shivers of delight, Gillard’s boyfriend was a bit “suss” which did not send the ABC into shivers of delight. So the public not only has to deal with the two contestants but their following press galleries as well. We would do well to brace ourselves for a vicious, savage, fight to the end, which will have the electorate turn their heads away in disgust, and wish they would all disappear. The victor, as they clean the blood from the sword, will realise the public want no more, whoever claims the guernsey, and the new leader of the Opposition will be expected to go back to politics, to a orderly govt. no MP’s being investigated by the local wallopers, and spirited discussions which are no longer personal. I think the public have had enough, and would perfer grownups for the next Govt. term.

Mr Burke and Mr HareTue 20 Nov 12 (03:05pm)

Dear Jack. As one of the 21 million Australians you alluded to who are fed up with politics, we asked Big Lillie’s 2 month old baby what she thought of it all and her profound comment was ‘’ A goo-goo on both houses’’!

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (03:08pm)

She meant poo-poo, surely B&H;.

JackSpratTue 20 Nov 12 (03:10pm)

Jack

This kind of ties in with something I was going to add on the last blog so I might as well post it here.

I was having a little experiment..

The post, “What a load of unmitigated, one-eyed partisan crap.”, hopefully was going to draw more comments than two.
I was trying to prove that statements like that have three effects.
1. Those who agree with it are happy but might feel uncomfortable.
2. Those who disagree with it are unhappy but do not change their minds, ignore it and probably store it away for retribution in the future.
3. Those who actually do not like that kind of statement turn off, ignore it or ask for clarification. They might also turn away from any future support.
I think there is a lesson here for all politicians on both sides. The Labor Party probably think their vilification of Howard contributed substantially to giving them power and now they are doing the same thing on Abbott. The Libs are not as good it and usually fail dismally if they try.
By the way, I still stand by my original statement of “What a load of unmitigated, one-eyed partisan crap.” but, under different circumstances, may have phrased it differently.
“ Say something long enough and loud enough and people will believe it” runs riot in our politics. The adverse effect of this is, when somebody like Obeid gets exposed, people just think it is the other side of politics having a go.

mhTue 20 Nov 12 (03:27pm)

The government of the day sets the standard in the house Jack.

Tony NTue 20 Nov 12 (03:29pm)

Jack I can assure you that it is not all beer and skittles belonging to a political party with the way some of those we work hard to get elected behave. I would imagine those in other parties would feel very much the same way. Policy should in my opinion develop from the bottom up (that’s why we become members) not the top down which appears to be the current situation.

dubadmiralTue 20 Nov 12 (03:36pm)

How does the saying go again, “don’t vote, it just encourages them”?
I wonder if any of what used to be the democrats are regretting their implosion right about now. ANY sort of viable third option to our two teams of competing performance artists would almost have to be in front at this point.

Things are looking up for a macacque led coup at any time.

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (04:19pm)

Bring on the macaques, DA.

Felix KatzeTue 20 Nov 12 (03:58pm)

The scarey part of this is that Joyce sounds positively enlightened and intellectually superior to the rest of the rabble. Which might actually be true..

MaybeTue 20 Nov 12 (04:03pm)

I agree broadly but I don’t think its all terrible and I’m not sure its hugely worse than 15 years ago when I spent time around parly house. Question time has often provided good theatre but not great substance. Senate estimates is, and was, better value for checking on policy implementation. Legislation is getting through and the differences on some policy issues are accentuated by pollies and the media but the material differences are not enormous. Both major parties agree on emissions targets, immigration policy seems fairly close and economic differences are largely about a few taxes, most notably GST, and means testing of benefits and the clear difference on workplace relations is the role of unions under legislation. Of course we’ll know more when Coalition policies are released and costed.

Having said that I do think many Australians and much of the media show intellectually laziness and therefore focus on the spin and name calling. At least, there is there is less focus on sex scandals than in US politics and less financial scandal by MPs than recent corruption by UK parliamentarians. I agree with Rudd that there should be more room for discussion on policy development without quickly rushing to attack slight inconsistencies.

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (04:22pm)

Rudd’s comment strikes at the heart of it, Maybe. The party leadership and administrators need to back off. Discipline is one thing, stifling freedom of expression and thus the exchange of ideas is another.

plmoTue 20 Nov 12 (04:07pm)

JTI,

It is our fault - yours & mine!! Of the 226 residents of NPH only about 30 give or take can be considered to be in the position of losing their jiob!!

The rest have the biggest task of gaining pre-selection.

Until we reverse that arithmetic little will change. I suggest we all join the ‘ Throw the Bastards Out ‘Party. Vote against the incumbent at least until three changes have been achieved.

But of course here in Abbottabad - the three safest Labor pollies or near as damd it!! And over 60% of the voting clones know how the system works - you would think we might have the three most marginal seats ( 2xHOR and 1x Senate) - but No!!!! Sigh!!!!!!!!

P.S. Still can’t find that consultation draft - obviously we are not to be consulted!!!

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (04:20pm)

More yours than mine, PLMO but that’s only because I’m not good at accepting blame.

Mother GTue 20 Nov 12 (04:12pm)

Many announcements are made now without all the ducks being in a row so people do become soured about what Parliament does (or does not) do. Even the announcement of the Royal Commission has been botched, so many hopes raised that can never be fullfilled. Many of the hurt and damaged will come to dislike government even more when they realise this really is not about helping them but more a “gotcha” against the churches.

EcclesTue 20 Nov 12 (04:13pm)

At the risk of being tiresome, Bill S (not Bill G) actually used the word “plague”, not “pox”

CLOTue 20 Nov 12 (04:15pm)

Were MTs words to be taken as prophetic perhaps? We’re in for a surprise? Hope it’s a good one, a good dose of healthy debate from sparring parties who respect each other?.... We can only hope. Time is a great healer, but do we have enough of that vital ingredient.. Meanwhile, China flexes her maritime muscle and the Middle East continues to erupt. Wakeup call.

GWATue 20 Nov 12 (04:18pm)

the 1st step to recovering from an issue / problem / addiction is recognising you have a problem. Hence awareness can lead to change / rehabilitation.

Sounds like some of them are realising this.

They might change, only thing though if you don’t catch on quick enough the consequences will get you 1st.. like losing your supporters and those around you. It’s a lonely place when no one can put up with you anymore!

SanchoTue 20 Nov 12 (04:37pm)

The term “beltway” is an example of the type of second-hand American political cliche that’s watering down Australian political discussion.

Jack the InsiderTue 20 Nov 12 (05:10pm)

It’s true, it is an American term. Ever eaten a hamburger or can’t we talk about those either?

Jack the Insider

Jack the Insider is a highly placed, dedicated servant of the nation with close ties to leading figures in politics, business and the union movement. Jack tends to be present at crucial moments in world history, ready to grapple with huge events and give them a gentle nudge. His real identity must remain unknown for obvious reasons. Jack's new book The Insider's Guide To Power In Australia is available from Random House.